Here we have the lesser-spotted supermodel Coco Rocha giving her all to a natty pair of shorts. Back in the day, this picture, courtesy of Banana Republic, would have had me skipping out the house on a hunt-to-the-death for the great white shirt, the fabulous statement earrings and the while-you're-at-it-you-might-as-well-chuck-in-the-sandals.

But while that's a fine white shirt she's wearing, what is really grabbing my attention is that serenely, zen-ly, empty-looking Richard Neutra house in the background.

It probably caught your eye, too, if your life is as crowded as mine. Vacuum cleaner stored at the in-laws, Choos stashed in the fridge (I may have made that bit up, but it would keep them fresh)…A recent survey suggesting that this, the most materialistic society in history, yearns for nothing more than to stash it all behind big, blank cupboards will have surprised precisely no one.

What to do? The answer is not to build more space, but to use what you have more sagely.

One solution is to deposit all your cast-offs and might-wear-somedays in someone else's space - ie, one of those vast warehouses. This, says Julia Dee of Total Wardrobe Care, would be a monumental mistake. "They're often not properly ventilated. Your clothes will end up damp." She would say that, you're thinking. She probably has her own storage business

She does, but it's a goody. Not content with providing lavish insulation, Dee or one of her team, will collect from you, repair, clean, photograph everything so you don't forget what you have - crucial, this - and whizz items back as and when required. She sells excellent non-slip, space-saving hangers, too. I have a finite number of them, as they're always selling out, which forces me to operate a one-in, one-out policy when it comes to buying clothes.

Another tip is not to keep bags in their dust-bags: out of sight, out of mind. And I'm with Dee on warehouse containerisation, which is simply a black hole from which nothing - you hope - will ever return. Better to face down your guilt and just get rid of it all in a clean break.

Dee's service costs from £27 per week for one rail (50 garments) with, currently, one month free, for anyone booking a minimum of six months. All sorts of clients do, from those who only come to the UK for work and wish to travel with hand luggage, to women who swap their wardrobes round seasonally. If that doesn't sound like you but you'd still like to be more methodical, Dee suggests the following:

1
"Prune. It's daunting. People are emotionally attached to their clothes. Roping in a friend doesn't cost anything and you can reciprocate. Better still, get a stylist in to help with the cull. She'll see you with a fresh eye and make different suggestions."

2
"I highly recommend a seasonal swap. When you bring out your clothes again, it's as though you've been shopping. Store out of season clothes in a damp-free, moth-free place. Dry clean coats and pack in garment bags. Keep a few jumpers for cool days."

3
"Don't over-dry clean. A light sponge on marks is OK. Invest in a small hand-held steamer from propressdirect.co.uk, from £65. Steam out creases before putting away. Don't return anything to your wardrobe with stains. The longer stains are there, the tougher they are to remove."

4
"Shoes need shoe trees or puffs. Pop them in straight after wearing. As they cool they'll ease back into shape rather than staying crinkled."

5
"If you're genuinely stuck for space, think laterally. I have a 5m long corridor which I wardrobed off to provide two rails of clothes. Allow 1cm for each blouse and top, 2cm for trousers, skirts and dresses, 4cm for coats."

totalwardrobecare.co.uk

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GET SHIRTY
By the way, if you are on the white shirt quest, wondrous news. Apart from Banana Republic's, Cos has at least nine to choose from, including bibbed, organza and long ones. Meanwhile, Gap has a cotton voile one (£29.50, gap.eu). I've got the original they did years ago - and I've never once been tempted to place it in storage.